Cover Chanel’s new 1932 high jewellery collection is inspired by the comet, moon, and the sun (Photo: Courtesy of Oliver Yoan)

The modern spirit of Coco Chanel is celebrated in today’s 77-piece diamond-dusted collection

Stunning spirals and shooting stars, scattered with sapphires as yellow as the sun and spinels brighter than the dawn, spin off in every direction. The spectacular gemstones chosen for the three chapters of Chanel’s new 1932 high jewellery collection are inspired by the comet, moon and sun, representing the much-referenced planetary and meteoric motifs championed by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel herself.

For this 77-piece collection, which celebrates 90 years of Bijoux de Diamants—Coco Chanel’s one and only high jewellery collection—director of Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio Patrice Leguéreau revisits the past and honours the house’s long-established celestial influence. “We are reinventing the key themes from the Bijoux de Diamants high jewellery collection to honour and celebrate the vision that Mademoiselle Chanel set out to bring to the world of high jewellery,” Leguéreau tells Tatler.

Leguéreau’s style is sophisticated, yet there is whimsy and playfulness in his designs, which pay homage to the audacity of the late founder’s creations. For example, 13 of the pieces from the collection can be deconstructed and worn in multiple ways. “I wanted to create a different vision of this legacy by setting these celestial elements in motion. To do this, I have given figurative expression to the shimmer of the comet, the halo of the moon, the radiance of the sun. These graphic motifs, often detachable, amplify the brilliance of the jewels.”

Read more: The Inspirational Story Behind Chanel’s Heavenly 1932 High Jewellery Collection

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Photo 1 of 3 Chanel 1932 High Jewellery Collection Comète Saphir necklace and ring, both in white gold set with sapphires and diamonds (Photo: Courtesy of Oliver Yoan)
Photo 2 of 3 Chanel 1932 High Jewellery Collection Soleil Mademoiselle necklace in white gold set with diamonds (Photo: Courtesy of Oliver Yoan)
Photo 3 of 3 Chanel 1932 High Jewellery Collection Pluie de Comètes ring in white gold set with diamonds (Photo: Courtesy of Oliver Yoan)

Coco Chanel had an innovative perspective on fashion, focusing on modernity and movement. Just as she fashioned clothes that offered women freedom and flexibility, the designer created high jewellery that could be worn in different ways. “Gabrielle Chanel had a visionary approach to jewellery,” says Marianne Etchebarne, global head of watches and fine jewellery product marketing, clients and communication at Chanel. “No other jeweller of her era had ever worked like this. Mademoiselle Chanel took the principles that made her celebrated in the world of couture and applied them to jewellery.”

It’s not just the transformable nature of this year’s pieces that impresses: it’s also the gemstones used. “I wanted to return to the essence of 1932 and to harmonise the message around three symbols: the comet, the moon and the sun. Each heavenly body shines with its own light,” says Leguéreau, who gives pride and place to colourful stones, from golden-yellow diamonds to sky-blue tanzanites.

In this galaxy of jewels, the moon shines brightest—an array of round-cut diamonds frame a deep, intense 55.55-carat sapphire that’s mounted into the Allure Céleste necklace. The sun also plays a central role: Leguéreau’s Soleil Doré suite uses warm yellow gold and clutches of diamonds for an outstanding effect that completes the vision for 1932.

“In addition to diamonds, I introduced colour, using exceptional gemstones to represent the celestial universe"

- Patrice Leguéreau -

Earrings streaked with stars and rings flush with colour leave little doubt that 1932, like the Bijoux de Diamants collection before it, will stand the test of time. After all, the new pieces, says Leguéreau, honour “the spirit of movement, freedom and flexibility inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel” in Paris almost a century ago—a spirit that would forever alter our conception of elegance and fashion. Just as Chanel intended.

Credits

Photography  

Oliver Yoan

Styling  

Julia Quante

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